Simon Estes on RAGBRAI

This year, during the 2014 RAGBRAI tour, the Simon Estes Foundation and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) are partnering to make an impact both locally and internationally by selling Simon Estes' CD, “Save The Children, Save Their Lives.”

Simon Estes is an internationally-acclaimed bass-baritone born in Centerville, Iowa. He has performed at the world’s major opera houses, including The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Los Angeles Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Vienna State Opera.

In 2010, Estes performed for the World Cup Final Concert in Johannesburg, South Africa. During his time in South Africa, he heard some startling facts: 90 percent of all malaria deaths are in Africa and every year one million children die due to mosquito bites. After hearing these statistics, Simon created the Simon Estes Foundation. Estes' foundation raises money to purchase nets and educate children in Africa about the proper way to use the nets to reduce malaria deaths. To date the Simon Estes Foundation has purchased 30,000 of the 1 million nets goal. Recently, Estes has also become interested in a local issue.

“My feelings for Iowa run deep in my soul, because being Iowa-born and raised, I have seen the values and generosity that Iowa exhibits,” Simon said. “I believe in the people of Iowa and their desire to make a difference in this world. We do have a water quality problem in Iowa. I feel that by partnering with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, we are giving Iowans a chance to see impact in their own backyard as well as across the ocean.”

With this partnership, half of the proceeds from CD sales will go to the Simon Estes Foundation for its nets program. The rest of the profits will go to INHF to help bring awareness to water quality in the state of Iowa.

INHF will be at RAGBRAI promoting its Iowa by Trail App. To purchase a CD, visit the INHF table during RAGBRAI or call 515-288-1846 to order by phone.

Photo from the Simon Estes Foundation

For more information, visit www.inhf.org or call 515-288-1846. For any questions, contact Hannah Inman at hinman@inhf.org or 515-288-1846, ext. 14.

Facts about malaria:
• ½ of the world's population is at risk
• 219,000,000 cases of malaria per year
• 660,000 deaths per year
• Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria
• A majority of the victims affected are under the age of five
• Malaria accounts for more than 40 percent of public health expenditures in Africa

***The goal of the Simon Estes Foundation's Eliminate Malaria Campaign is to raise funds sufficient to purchase one million nets. Working with local, state and national organizations and the generosity of the people of Iowa, the Simon Estes Foundation is committed to achieving this goal and eliminating the threat of malaria for children and families in Africa.***